Bago pala nagkasama sa kasalukuyang namamayagpag na sitcom, Toda Max, on ABS-CBN, naging magka-team na sina Robin Padilla at Vhong Navarro.
‘‘Naging sidekick ako ni Robin sa Puwedeng Puwede (also a sitcom on Channel 2),” kuwento ni Vhong. ‘‘Henceforth, nakilala na ako as comedian.
‘‘Kaya nang malaman kong siya ang makakasama ko sa Toda Max, kaagad, sabi ko, halleluiah.
‘‘Ang tagal ko nang pinangarap na muling makatrabaho si Robin.
‘‘Iniidolo ko siya not just as a fellow actor but as a person.
‘‘Matino siya. Bukod sa down to earth. At todo bigay sa bawat trabahong ginagawa niya.’’
Robin and Vhong play cousins in Toda Max. He owns a carinderia sa isang maliit at poor na community sa Maynila.
Isang probinsiyano na single parent ang role naman ni Robin. Tanging pagda-drive ng tricycle ang alam niyang hanapbuhay.
Dahil bagong salta at wala ngang pera, nakitira siya sa pinsang si Justin (Vhong).’’
‘‘Very Filipino ang theme ng sitcom,’’ ani Robin. ‘‘Kaya, kaagad pumayag akong gawin ito.
‘‘Lalo pa nga at makakatrabaho ko ring muli si Vhong.’’
Si Angel Locsin, who plays his girlfriend in Toda Max ay ‘di pa daw niya nakakatrabaho bago ito programa, pahayag ni Vhong. Nagkasama lang daw sila sa isang pictorial.
‘‘Pero ako nakatrabaho ko na si Angel sa isang action series (produced by another Channel).
‘‘Ako ang nagturo diyan (sabay nguso kay Angel) ng Martial Arts.
‘‘E, among Martial Arts enthusiasts, may sinusunod silang alituntunin.
‘‘Ito ay ang dapat walang ligawan, o, kahit anong relasyong mamagitan among the members.
‘‘Kaya, ni ligaw tingin, ‘di ko ginawa kay Angel. Kahit gandang-ganda at naseksihan pa ako diyan,’’ patuloy pa ni Robin, sabay sulyap kay Angel.
In real life, of course, Robin is happily married to TV host Mariel Rodriguez.
Angel, on the other hand, never thought daw that she will ever be part of a sitcom. Feeling niya, she said, mas akma siyang gumanap ng action on TV at sa pelikulang drama.
Yet daw, when she was sked to guest in Toda Max and afterwards was asked if she would be willing to be part of the show as a mainstay, she quickly decided na tanggapin ang offer.
She has never regretted it.
‘‘Siguro nga, even if I get myself a regular TV series, I would request my producer (of the new series) to allow me to continue doing Toda Max.
‘‘Ito yata ang gagawin ni Utol Robin,’’ pahayag pa ni Angel. ‘‘Kahit may series siyang gagawin with Kris Aquino at Anne Curtis, ‘di niya iiwanan ang Toda Max.
‘‘Kahit nga ang aming director (Malou Sevilla), ang alam namin ay may gagawing drama series, she will not abandon Toda Max.
‘‘Promise ’yan ni direk Malu sa cast ng Toda Max and its staff.
‘‘That’s how maximum the closeness has become among us,’’ patuloy pa ni Angel.
Right now, tinatapos ni Angel ang pelikulang One More Try, which is one of Star Cinema’s entry in the coming Metro Manila Filmfest.
Directed by Ruel Bayani, Angel’s co-stars include Dingdong Dantes, Zanjoe Marudo at Angelica Panganiban.
THANK YOU NANAY CORING
Personal : My personal thanks nga pala kay Nanay Coring, who is also known as Mrs. Socorro Ramos, founder and owner of the popular chain of National Bookstore, who gave us a book (thru Viva Films executive June Rufino) about her, titled Nanay Coring, written by Yvette Fernandez and illustrated by Liza Flores.
May personal dedication pa ni Nanay Coring sa kopya ng kanyang book na ibinigay sa amin and which can be read ang kabuuan in one setting.